os

10

CRASH SAFETY PROGRAM
ANSWER TO PROBLEM

A proposal by Truck Log-
gers Association president
Bruce Welch to tap the Work-
men’s Compensation fund for
a crash housing programme
is viewed by labour as a
blatant attempt to gain a re-
duction in the industry’s ac-
cident assessment rates.

He led into his proposal by
a criticism of government
spending which, he said,
causes inflation. “A prime

example is the Workmen‘s
Compensation Board.”

He said compensation costs -

have risen 78 per cent in
three years. This resulted
from rate increases of six to

9.25 per cent applied on in-
creased wages.

“I'd like to ask a question
and make a suggestion. Why

. is it that industry, which sup-

plies all the money for com-
pensation, cannot get answers
to fundamental questions?

“The Workmen’s Compen-

sation Board has some $200
million invested to allow the

interest to pay for pensions,,.

but industry cannot find out
how these funds, which they
supply, are invested. From
what information is available,
the interest on the money is
approximately three per cent.

“Why could we not have
this money funneled out
through existing channels
such as National Housing Act
or mortgage houses to help
our ever-existing housing
shortages?

“If this were done the
Workmen’s Compensation
Board would receive say six
per cent on the money. The
costs to industry would drop,
as not so much money would
need to be funded, and an-
other benefit would be money
at approximately seven per
cent for home mortgages.”

Mr. Welch in his anxiety
to put the WCB in a bad light
failed to mention that the
Board is bound by law, spe-
cifically the Workmen’s Com-
pensation Act, to invest its
trust funds only in federal or
provincial securities and their
guarantees.

He also exaggerated the
size of the fund. The present
size of the fund is $167 million
which is used to pay pensions
to widows, and dependent
children of workmen killed
in industrial accidents and to
workmen permanently dis-
abled by accident. Approxi-
mately 5,000 widows and de-
pendent children are receiv-
ing benefits out of the fund.
An additional 12,000 persons
are receiving disability pen-
sions.

Any attempt to risk the
fund monies for the sake of
high interest returns could
seriously jeopardize the pen-
sions for the recipients, Many
of the investments made by
the Board are earning in ex-
cess of 6% not 3% as stated
by Mr. Welch and as its earli-
er investments mature they
are re-invested at higher
guaranteed interest rates.

There are far better avail-

able sources than the WCB
fund to provide the necessary
housing money as Mr. Welch
well knows. However, it is
quite apparent that he is more
concerned over reducing the
acident assessment rates in his
industry.
'In labour’s opinion, he
would have been much wiser,
instead of attacking the
Board, to have proposed a
crash safety programme for
the forest industry to reduce
the high assessments present-
ly being paid by his organiza-
tion and the industry in gen-
eral,

IN MEMORIAM

Officers of Local 1-288 TWA
announce with deep regret
the passing of two of their old-
er members.

Harold Pengelley, Nanai-
mo, B.C., passed away in

‘ . hospital December 31, 1967

at the age of 63 years. Harold,
who joined the P.L.I.B. in
1945 had worked in the indus-
try for many years. ?

He went to work at the old
Bloedel Stewart and Welch in
Port Alberni im 1935 and
‘worked there until he joined
the P.L.LB. He was assigned
to the Mayo Lumber Co. mill
at McKay Lake, transferring
to their mill in Nanaimo when
it began operation.

He is survived by his wife
and two married daughters.

Howard Little, aged 63
years, passed away in hospi-

_tal January 11, 1968.

Howard was taken ill on
the first day of his vacation in
the middle of December and
was rushed to the hospital
and operated on. His fellow
workers were not aware of
this until he failed te return

-to work in the new year.

Howard joined the P.L.1LB.
in 1933 and worked through-
out the industry, his last
steady assignment had been
with L & K Lumber Co.,
North Vancouver, where he
had been for a number of

years.

He was predeceased by
Mrs. Little two years ago.

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COACH
CREW
JOBS SAFE

Local 1-206 financial secre-
tary Tom Sprlak reports that
the latest word from officials
of General Coach Works of
Canada, is that the plant will
be relocated in Lethbridge
but the former crew will con-
tinue to work at the new
plant.

The old plant located at
Fort Macleod, Alberta, was
completely destroyed by fire
last December 30. The plant
employed 130 workers who

are members of Local 1-206
IWA.

The Local feared for a time
that these members would be
jobless if the company failed
to rebuild at Fort Macleod.
However, the company has
now promised to transport
the crew to work by bus — a
distance of 40 miles one way
— for a period of six months,

LOCAL 1-357

Sisters E, Rose and K. Mansour of
the LA of Local 1-357 IWA, visited
the following patients in the Royal
Columbian Hospital during the period
December 18, 1967, to January 10,
1968, and distributed candy, cigarettes
and copies of the Western Canadian
Lumber Worker.

David Sheaves, Douglas Plywood;
Oliver Slatten, Westminster Shook
Mills; Chris Schultz, Rayonier (retir-
ed); H. Stockbrugger, Supreme
Shingles; G. Bartel, Industrial Mills;
P. Del Grosso, Can. White Pine; M.
Tereposky, McKay & Flanagan; Wm.
Pountney, Timber Preservers; R.
Jorgenson, Silvertree; A. Nudds,
Fraser Mills;. R. Avery, Northwest
Pulp & Paper (Prince George).

G. Keast, Tahsis Co., Fair Harbour;
Ed Pierre, Nanaimo Loaging; L.
Tataryn, Fraser Mills; Ed Airth,
BCFP, Hammond; Ray Lund, Fraser
Mills; Charles Foltka, Fraser Mills;
J. Rosman, Timberland; R. Granger,
Queen Charlottes; W. Funk, Timber
Plywood; Hugh Smith, West Coast
Pipe; J. Fenkarek, Rayonier; Pat
Clark, Pacific Pine.

half of Canada’s Centennial.

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cet cae Sa fa Re

THE WESTERN CANADIAN LUMBER WORKER

DEL PRATT, Regional 2nd vice-president, whose job in
the industry was operating “cat” at Gordon River, appears
puzzled at the controls of this TD 30 International dezer
on display at the Truck Loggers’ Convention in Vancouver.

THIS BEAUTY built by the Hayes Manufacturing Com-
pany was chosen to represent the Western Forest In-
dustry at “Expo 67” and was photographed on display at
the Truck Loggers’ Convention in Vancouver.

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